Brazilian Health Minister calls US canceling his family visa as “cowardly”

(MENAFN) Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre Padilha on Friday denounced the U.S. decision to cancel tourist visas for his wife and 10-year-old daughter as “cowardly,” calling it an attempt to pressure those who resist U.S. demands.

Padilha said the move was linked to U.S. sanctions aimed at influencing Brazil’s ongoing prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest on charges of attempting a coup. Speaking to GloboNews, Padilha criticized Bolsonaro’s supporters for orchestrating the measure, dismissing the notion that a child could pose any threat to the United States.

Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods and also pressured Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court regarding the Bolsonaro case. Visa cancellations extended to several officials, including Supreme Court justices and Health Ministry staff involved in the “More Doctors” program that deployed Cuban physicians to underserved areas.

Brazilian Institutional Relations Minister Gleisi Hoffmann condemned the visa actions, highlighting Padilha’s contributions in saving lives during the pandemic in contrast to Bolsonaro’s handling of the crisis.

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